The Woman in Cabin 10

by Ruth Ware

[Linda]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
The Woman in Cabin 10 is a tightly written psychological thriller where part of the action happens on a small cruise boat... and it's a chilling and sharp tale.



Lo is one of those very flawed characters whom it's impossible not to love. The Woman in Cabin 10 is a complex tale, where, after waking up to a burglar in her home, Lo gets the possibility to go on a luxury cruise for her work. Writing about how the rich and famous do vacation in the ice-cold waters off the coast of Norway. There's a bit of a mystery surrounding Lo, she seems to be holding back -both in the narration and with her boyfriend whom she's been with for several years.

As soon as Lo arrives on the cruise boat, she is feeling a bit weird, and also slightly upset, as the internet connection isn't all it's supposed to be. After a strange run-in with the woman in the next cabin, Lo goes to the first meet and greet with the other journalists and the couple who own the boat. Mesmerized by all the glitz, a little uncomfortable, and drinking too much, Lo feels out of place. Running into a male journalist she used to work with - and with whom she possibly had a relationship outside of work doesn't help, either. In the middle of the night, Lo hears a scream, and then a splash outside her cabin, and she realizes that the woman in the next-door cabin must have fallen overboard. Only, there is blood on the window off the balcony...

This is when the story turns from something that could have been a pleasant cruise turns into something deadly, as Lo can't leave this alone and contacts the security person on board. She tries to get the boat to stop, but this is not an option, especially when it appears that nobody is missing, and the cabin next to Lo's was unoccupied... As Lo continues to investigate this matter, there is no internet connection what soever on board, and the passengers all start to feel unsettled when they enter a storm with high waves and rain...

The danger becomes more and more present for Lo, and The Woman in Cabin 10 never lets up on the suspense. Written in different points of views, one from Lo's perspective, in first person, past tense and also through e-mails sent to Lo from various people, and some news-paper articles. This way of telling the story was unique, and it made the suspense ramp up when it was clear that the outside world didn't know at all what was going on aboard that boat. If you enjoy suspense stories where it's impossible to figure out what will happen next, The Woman in Cabin 10 is a book you should get your hands on as soon as it's released!



Its size, along with the perfection of its paintwork, gave it a curiously toylike quality, and as I stepped onto the narrow steel gangway I had a sudden disorienting image of the Aurora as a ship imprisoned in a bottle - tiny, perfect, isolated, and unreal - and of myself, shrinking down to match it with every step I took towards the boat.

There was a little spritz of sequined leaves across the right shoulder because you didn't seem to be able to get away with none. Apparently the majority of ball gowns were designed by five-year-old girls armed with glitter guns, but at least this one didn't look entirely like an explosion in a Barbie factory. 

It didn't help that, unlike a ferry, there were no floor plans or maps, and minimal signage - supposed to help the impression that this was a private home that you just happened to share with a load of rich people.